BOCA RATON – It’s gone.
Levitz Plaza, the long-crumbling, nearly vacant eyesore in Boca Raton’s north end, is no longer there.
Alliance Residential Company razed the massive structure. Twenty months from now, it is scheduled to complete a $62 million luxury apartment community consisting of 384 residential units called Broadstone at North Boca Village.
Alliance recently hosted a groundbreaking ceremony at the 17-acre parcel at 7801 North Federal Highway. Those who attended were surprised to see the former plaza building reduced to rubble.
“This is an exciting new infill luxury residential community that will be the centerpiece for the redevelopment of the North Federal Highway corridor, which links the cities of Boca Raton and Delray Beach,” said Michael Ging, managing director of development for Florida.
“Our future residents will enjoy the latest in amenities and features that define luxury living while being within close proximity to Boca Raton’s beautiful beaches and downtown Mizner Park, as well as the exciting night life on Atlantic Avenue in downtown Delray Beach.”
Ging said the deal closed Sept. 29 and he anticipates initial lease-up to begin in the third quarter of 2012, with final completion expected in March 2013.
Company and city officials, including Mayor Susan Whelchel, Deputy Mayor Susan Haynie, Councilwoman and Community Redevelopment Agency Director Constance Scott and Councilman Anthony Majhess were among those who attended the ceremony.
Upon completion, Ging said, Broadstone at North Boca Village will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom units averaging 997 square feet, along with optional attached and detached garages. The apartment homes will feature a complete stainless-steel appliance package, full-size washers and dryers, two-tone designer paint, granite countertops and expansive 9-foot ceilings
Levitz Plaza, a once thriving shopping plaza in north Boca Raton, has been on the skids for years.
Plans were approved in 2006 for a Mizner Park-style mixed use development called North Boca Village, also containing a new structure for the Caldwell Theatre. The development was crushed by a falling economy and ended up in bank foreclosure earlier this year.
North Boca Village was to be a mix of residential (49 townhouses and 336 condominiums), retail (100,600 square feet), office (53,990 square feet) and restaurant (40,000 square feet) uses, with roads connecting the buildings – much like Mizner Park. It also included the theater.
The original developer planned to raze the plaza after allowing the Caldwell, formerly located in that building, to build a new theater slightly north of the Levitz site. That structure was finished in 2007, but North Boca Village was never even started and the developer went bankrupt.
Plans say recreational amenities for Broadstone include a centralized park area, tot lot, putting green, pool with cabanas and a gazebo. There will also be a two-story clubhouse (over 7,000 square feet) slated to contain a fitness center, game room, club room, business/conference rooms and leasing offices.
Alliance will blend the traditional Spanish Mission-style architecture of the community with modern amenities designed to appeal to a wide demographic, including a fitness center with the latest computerized aerobic and weight training equipment, yoga studio, business center, video gaming room, demonstration kitchen, cyber café, movie theater, personal massage salon, wine and cigar room, putting green and resort-style swimming pool area with cabanas and an outdoor pool pavilion with bar, fire place and billiard tables.